Raise School Spirit (and the roof) with Bodhrán Workshops!
All children love to play with drums. Not only is it fun,
it’s also great for their development. A Bodhrán circle
can teach children mutual respect, co-operation, listening, co-ordination and sensitive movement,
as well as developing qualities like perseverance,
self-discipline and mental agility.
Our ‘Little Buzzer’ bodhrán workshops are a fantastic
way to get children’s creative energy flowing and fuel
their enthusiasm for the learning process. Our workshops expose children to a positive and empowering environment, providing them with a refreshing break
from regular schoolwork.
We offer workshops for children of all ages from primary school level right up to the senior cycle.
Big Buzzers
Secondary Schools / TY
Little Buzzers
Primary Schools
Check out what students, TY coordinator and principal think of our Bodhrán workshops for schools. We aim to bring culture, music and fun to all secondary schools in Ireland. Book your school's place now!
Little Buzzer workshops incorporate the
three main strands of the music curriculum:
Listening & Responding
Through fun games, the children will learn the importance of listening to each other and their surroundings and responding in a timely fashion.
Performing
Performance is important to development and giving children confidence opens them up to the realisation that when they persist, they can achieve beyond their expectations. Children will practice group performance as well as the occasional solo performance from willing participants, noting that no child will ever be put under pressure to perform unless they are keen to do so. Inspiration is key!
Composition
All children will have the chance to compose their own rhythms. Composition is done in small segments and all added together at the end to create their very own unique groove.
"It was an excellent experience. Robbie pitched the workshop at just the right level for the class of 11 year-old boys (32 in total). He has a great presence and had no difficulty engaging the boys for the 50-minute session. Although hardly any of the boys had even held a Bodhran before, by the end of the session, they were sounding good! The rest of the classes were very jealous and hope to have ‘TheBodhranBuzz’ visit their class next time.
Robbie was very organised and had plenty of Bodhrans and other equipment, which in a classroom environment makes all the difference.
We plan to make Bodhran Buzz workshops a regular feature in our school”.
Helen Kelly
Principal
St. Patrick’s Boys’ National School, Hollypark, Blackrock.
One Day School Workshops
Children will learn the history of the Bodhrán, how it was made in the old days and get an insight into modern
drum making methods.
Testing out the old and new drums.
How to hold the drum, the stick, and the basics of getting the first few beats.
The different types of tunes within traditional music and the basic rhythm for the most common tunes.
Demonstrations of how the tunes are played at full speed and the various sounds that a professional Bodhrán player can get from the drum.
Interactive games.
The history of the Bodhrán.
Once-off workshops last approximately 60-80 minutes.
Guaranteed to bring joy and happiness to your school;
The Bodhrán Buzz will leave children with a sense of achievement, success and connection.
Bodhrán Courses
The Bodhrán Buzz also offers full-term courses, with the possibility of a performance at the end of the term for parents and teachers. Courses can be tailored to fit individual school’s needs, depending on the required duration of the classes and the number of weeks the school would like the course to run for.
Areas covered within The Bodhrán Buzz courses:
Introduction to the bodhrán.
Basic 4/4, 6/8, 3/4, 2/4 rhythms.
Bodhrán Scales.
In depth explanation of the structure of Irish Music.
Bodhrán Maintenance.
Stick Making.
Dynamics.
The opportunity to play with a Live Musician.
Styles.
Bodhrán Ensemble.
Games.
'“Robbie has a fantastic ability to relate to all ages of children and inspires them to follow his direction and work hard while really enjoying his classes. He makes his workshops and lessons fun, modern and high energy and he is always extremely professional. I would have no hesitation in recommending Robbie as both a teacher and an amazing musician”.
Karen Armitage
Director of Music
St. Andrew’s College Junior School
FAQs
Do you supply all drums for our school students?
Yes, we have a full range of bodhráns for the children to use as well as top quality, professional bodhráns for everyone to try out on the day.
How many people can participate in each workshop?
We have 150 bodhráns for use and can be used all in one workshop. Depending on your goal, we recommend 15-20 participants for in-depth learning of the Bodhrán. If it’s just to have lots of fun for a one day workshop, 30-60 is a great number. Spectators from other classes are very welcome if they would like to see what’s going on and soak up the atmosphere! We would just ask for some assistance from other teachers in that case.
Is there an minimum age requirement?
Yes, generally when we do a school workshop we take from 1st class students up. If you are looking for a Bodhrán workshop aimed at younger children, you can send us an email to have a chat about it.
Is your bodhrán teacher Garda vetted?
Yes, Robbie Walsh is fully Garda vetted. It’s no problem if you need to have him fill out the form for your school in particular.
Is it possible for you to come to our school or do we need to travel to you?
There’s no need for you to travel. TheBodhránBuzz is fully mobile and will come to your school for the time.
How is sanitisation applied to your equipment before arrival to my school?
All Bodhráns and equipment are fully disinfected before arrival to your school. For extra precaution, I would ask that the children have hand sanitiser with them and a mask if at all possible. It’s not necessary but would be great to help reduce the risk of COVID-19.
Let’s Talk
Interested in a workshop or course? Please contact us here for details on prices.